New Jersey: Growing GOP Push For 2010 Ballot On Marriage

Fearing that New Jersey's lame-duck legislature will approve same-sex marriage after the November election, GOP and Christian activists are renewing their push for the issue to be put on the 2010 ballot.

Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen) yesterday said Gov. Jon Corzine made a deal with another prominent lawmaker to vote on it during a lame-duck session that follows Election Day. "I can say I know that there was a conversation between the governor and a key chairman because I was in the room. After, not before the election, was their determination," said Cardinale. Responding to Cardinale's assertion, Democratic State Committee Chairman Joseph Cryan called it "perhaps the most ridiculous accusation in the gubernatorial race so far from the Republicans." "The governor's on the record supporting fairness and equality for everyone," Cryan said. "In our state, there's no mystery to that." During a forum at Rider University last week, Corzine said it's unlikely he would support a ballot question to decide the definition of marriage because he believes decisions on marriage equality should be made by elected officials. "I understand this is a deeply divisive issue," Corzine said. "All people are created equal."

The very gay-friendly Gov. Corzine, who has vowed to sign a bill approving same-sex marriage, has faced a tough re-election campaign, suffering some of the ugliest television attack ads I've seen. (We get the Jersey ads here in NYC.) The latest poll shows Corzine down 4 points to GOP challenger Chris Christie, hopefully tonight's debate will turn that around.